First settlements in the Upper Pecos Valley

In the midst of piñon, juniper, and pine woodlands in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 25 miles southeast of Santa Fe, the remains of an Indian pueblo stand as a meaningful reminder of the people who once prevailed in this area. Long before the arrival of Spanish explorers, long before it was called "Pecos," this pueblo village was the locus of trade between people of the Rio Grande Valley and hunting tribes of the buffalo plains. Its 2,000 inhabitants could marshal 500 warriors; its frontier location brought both war and trade....

Spanish Encounters

Spanish Explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado pursued a vision quest in 1540 that brought him through the Glorieta Pass to Pecos Pueblo....

Civil War in the West

Click here for a schedule of events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Glorieta Pass at Pecos National Historical Park (March 23-25, 2012).

Ranger-led Battle of Glorieta Pass van tours leave the Visitor Center at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Please call 505-757-7241 to make reservations.

A three-day Civil War battle in March 1862 brought to an end Confederate dreams of taking Fort Union, Colorado mines, and California ports. The battle was relatively small, but the courage, decisions, fierce fighting and aftermath of the Battle of Glorieta Pass were anything but....

Forked Lightning Ranch

Ranger-led Forked Lightning Ranch House tours leave the Visitor Center at 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. Please call 505-757-7241 to make reservations.

Clarence Von Nostrand ("Tex Austin"), John Gaw Meem, Buddy Fogelson and the actress Greer Garson are the main players in the rich history of the Forked Lightning Ranch, which is situated on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Glorieta Creek and the Pecos River....